First Contact
by tinuelena
Summary: James Kirk has experienced battle, responsibility, and the implosion of a black hole. But nothing can compare to the revelation he has about Spock-- and the aftermath of the realization.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: First venture into Star Trek. If you think I ought to continue, let me know! J

xx

James Tiberius Kirk sat in his quarters, staring at the wall. A crust of blood still clung to the skin just beneath his nose, and his left eye had begun to swell.

He had experienced more than he'd bargained for in the last few days; destruction of a planet, assuming command of a starship, time travel, feeling the sensation of a black hole's implosion. They were now on course for Earth. He finally had time to sit down and wrap his head around everything, yet he could only focus on one thing.

Spock.

_That god damn Vulcan, _came his knee-jerk reaction. _I'll bet the bastard left bruises on my neck where his fingers—_

And then that stir in his stomach.

He thought briefly of standing in the transporter before boarding the Narada. He was shocked when Lieutenant Uhura kissed Spock—weren't the Vulcans incapable of emotion?

Then, in one flash of light, he realized.

_They _are_ capable._

_And so am I._

The stir turned into an abrupt hurricane. He'd been _jealous_ of Uhura. And when Spock tackled him—

He jumped up, suddenly wanting to shed his skin. To cleanse his mind. This conclusion he'd drawn wasn't acceptable, wasn't logical—and even as he slipped into denial, he found himself thinking about the rationality of the Vulcan race and how it might be broken.

Instinctively, he followed the corridors to Pasha's room. She accepted him willingly, and he emptied himself inside of her with fervor. But his release did not purge the emotions sticking to his insides like barnacles. Afterwards, as she fell into a quick slumber, he stared at his crumpled Starfleet uniform lying on Pasha's immaculately clean floor. It didn't belong. _He_ didn't belong. Quietly, he slipped out of bed, dressed, and left.

The ship was still, and Kirk needed a place to think. At home in Iowa, his escape had been the country. Out there, stars shone like raindrops of pure light, exquisite beauty above plain, rustling fields of corn. Now, he was surrounded by the stars. His feet took him to the bridge, where he stopped short.

Spock stood at the wide window, arrow-straight as usual, oblivious to everything around him. Kirk thought he might be meditating, and turned to leave.

"No," said Spock, his voice subdued. "You don't have to leave on my accord." He turned. "Good evening, Captain."

Kirk nodded. "You don't have to go, either. It's fine. I was just coming to—well, to look at the stars." He punctuated his sentence with a light laugh. As the words escaped his lips, they sounded strange. Surely, the last thing any of them wanted after these hectic few days was a larger dose of space.

"That is what I came for," Spock admitted, turning back to the window. "I need to regain control. Looking at the stars has always helped me to master my emotions."

"Spock—"

"Yes, Captain?"

Kirk went to join him at the window. "Don't you think—don't you think that losing control is _good _sometimes?"

His answer was definite. "No."

"Why not?"

"Emotion clouds logic. One should use only logic to make choices."

Kirk shook his head. "If that line of shit was true, you wouldn't be here."

"Maybe," Spock said slowly, "that would be for the best."

"How would that be for the best?"

"I am an aberration. I am too human to fit in with the Vulcan ways, and too Vulcan— too Vulcan to fit in with the human ways."

The way he lowered his gaze as he said this made Kirk sure that something was wrong. "Spock?"

"Captain."

"What happened?"

"Lieutenant Uhura and I have ended our short-lived courtship."

"I'm sorry."

Spock looked completely unfazed. "It was a matter of time before our incompatibilities made a relationship impossible."

"You're a hell of an optimist, aren't you?"

Spock said nothing.

"I ought to just punch you," Kirk spat, frustrated. How could Spock remain so distant, so reserved?

"You wouldn't," Spock replied calmly.

"What do you mean, I wouldn't?"

"I have observed your behavior, Captain Kirk."

Kirk glared. "What?"

"You act… different in my presence."

He began to sweat. "Different?"

"Yes. The same manner in which Lieutenant Uhura acted before she expressed interest in forming a relationship."

Kirk said nothing. He watched Spock's calculating eyes watching him, using that formidable Vulcan logic to size him up, to predict his next move.

So he decided to be impulsive. He grabbed Spock by the collar and pulled them both to the floor, so that Spock was over him. James took him by the wrists.

"You have two hands," Kirk said. "Where does your Vulcan logic tell you to put them?"

"Logic tells me I ought to bend my wrists so that my hands can disable your arms, thus enabling me to stand up and escape the situation."

"I see. And what do your human emotions tell you to do with them?"

Spock smirked.

"My human emotions," he ventured, "tell me several things. Part of me is still angry with you and wishes to finish the job—" he lifted his hands from Kirk's grip—"that I started earlier." Placing his palms on Kirk's chest, he moved them to his throat.

Kirk felt his heart rate quicken. "What other things?"

"They tell me to indulge my curiosity." His hands drifted over the thin wool of Kirk's Starfleet uniform, his fingers hooking on the belt loops of his pants. "But logic—"

Kirk groaned. _Goddamn logic._

"Logic tells me that it would be best to ask permission, Captain."

He looked back at Spock in surprise.

"Seal the bridge," he said in a hoarse whisper. As the doors closed around them, he turned to the man above him. "Permission granted."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Since so many of you so nicely asked for a continuation, I'm going to try. I hope you all stick with me! Thanks for the reviews and love!

**Secret Thought:** Ahaha, yes. Evil indeed. And coming from me, who usually writes such gratuitous PWP that evolves into a plot.

**Shekina666:** Thank you!

**moonlight guardian: **Yes, I think I'm going to try (obviously). Hopefully I do alright. :)

**snowspell:** Thank you for your resounding yes! :)

**Ptrst: **I think I have a fluffy little plot bunny for this. It's going to be short, though. Maybe. We'll see. :)

**monroe-mary: **Thanks! Spock is my favorite.

**starsnstripies: **I'm glad you think so!

**ChaoticPython:** There is a chance. ;)

**HellHasLeftMeLost:** This is what happens next. And then we'll be taking a look at how they behave on the bridge the next morning. :)

xx

There would be no sleep for Kirk that night.

As the rest of the crew relaxed into their pillows, relieved to be heading home after such a trying mission, Kirk suddenly didn't want to go back. He felt that whatever had just happened on the bridge was protected by the bubble of space, that stepping foot on _terra firma _would somehow erase the encounter from existence.

_I don't know if I should be more scared of it vanishing,_ thought Kirk, _or more scared that I don't _want_ it to vanish._

Sorting out his feelings after returning from the bridge had proved impossible. At first, he had blamed his thrill-seeking personality. Always wanting a new adventure. Something new to conquer. _No,_ his brain told him, _I had already conquered him. I outwitted him and won the position of Captain. That's how you conquer a Vulcan._

But, then, the memory of Spock's half-closed eyes, shining with the all-too-human emotion of complete bliss, flooded his mind. _Is that the real conquest? _

"God," he said out loud, going to pour himself another drink.

xx

Meanwhile, Spock had also succumbed to insomnia. On a black mat under a soft light, he tried to meditate.

_Futile,_ he thought, turning his head to the clock. _I have been sitting here for precisely nine minutes and still my mind has not quieted._

Disconcerted, he rose, stretched, and went back to his bed. Briefly, he wished for a visitor—not Lieutenant Uhura, whose company he would have done anything for earlier in the day. No, now all his thoughts gravitated toward the Captain.

He breathed in, deeply. Exhaled. Inhaled. The image of a trembling Kirk, so unlike the take-charge, nonchalant Captain he saw during the day, glossed through his mind.

_This is unacceptable,_ his mind pressed. _This is illogical. Lieutenant Uhura was a good match for me because our intellectual capabilities were compatible and, though she is human, she places a great deal of trust in logic. James Kirk is utterly irrational—he is my superior officer—he _insults_ me_, he thought, bristling—_yet somehow—_

He couldn't even think it. Inwardly, he cursed his mixed blood. _If I had been born a pure Vulcan, I wouldn't give this a second thought. And if I had been born pure human—I could just give in._

As he closed his eyes, he found himself reeling at the revelation that, right now, he'd rather be a full-blooded human, spending his insomniatic hours on the floor of the Captain's quarters.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Scene in Kirk's quarters written to Enya's "Drifting." If you have it, or can get it, I think it will enhance the experience for you ;)

**Chamber_music: **Me too! I actually just saw it again today so I was definitely in prime shape to write this chapter. haha

**Kitsune-Hamato:** Thank you! :)

**SpirkTrekker42:** Spock is my favorite character… I just love the idea of all that emotion ready to bust out of that cage of logic. I'm glad you like my interpretation of what his mind might be like.

**Falconheart:** Thank you so much!

**Ptrst: **That makes me feel good. :)

**Paula545:** Thank you! It's always nice to get a compliment.

**jowx97:** I loved his cheeky side in the movie, too. My favorite— Kirk: "It's logic, Spock. I thought you'd like that." Spock: "No, not really. Not this time." I'm glad I was able to bring that out here as well :)

**Ophelia: **There's lots more to come, but hopefully this chapter is satisfying :)

**Thanks to all of you who have added this to your favorites or alerts! There has been an overwhelming response to this story, so I just want to thank ALL of you for reading! **

xx

"Space travel is torturously slow without warp speed." Scotty leaned back in his chair and turned to the Captain. "Why don't we get in the escape pods and warp to Earth?"

"Well—I—"

"Lieutenant Uhura has been monitoring Romulan transmissions," Spock interjected. "They know that a Romulan mining vessel has been destroyed, and they may yet attempt to attack us. To launch small, barely protected crafts would be illogical."

"There you have it." Kirk sat back in his chair.

Uhura glanced at the two men. They seemed to be consciously avoiding each other, yet they were much more civil toward each other than they'd been just a day ago.

"But—how would they even know the _Narada_ existed?" Sulu protested. "It's not—"

"It doesn't matter," Kirk interrupted. "If they get reports of a Federation ship attacking a Romulan ship, they are liable to attack. We're better equipped for a battle on the _Enterprise._"

McCoy privately thought that it would be better to separate and launch escape pods with warp drive, but he decided he daren't open his mouth.

Chekov turned to Scotty then, questioning him about his transwarp beaming equation. As Scotty began to explain about the principle of space being the object in motion, Kirk's eyes gravitated to a spot near the captain's chair. He couldn't suppress the acceleration of his heartbeat, the tightening of his pants, the desire to do it all over again.

Spock watched the same area with an ache in the pit of his stomach. Again, the human and Vulcan sides of himself tore at each other. Longingly, he thought of the _V'tosh ka'tur._ They had rejected Surak's philosophy and left Vulcan, deciding instead to live as nomads, balancing logic with emotion. If he'd been raised with them—if he'd followed his half-brother, Sybok—but that was all in the past. He had to fight his innate logic, which told him that following his lust would be extremely unwise.

_But sometimes,_ he reasoned, _unwise actions have brought surprisingly good results._

xx

"Captain, I was wondering if I might have a word." Spock stood uncomfortably outside Kirk's quarters, straightening his Starfleet uniform. The bright lights which usually lined the hallway had been dimmed, owing to the late hour.

"Yeah. Yeah, of course." He stepped aside to let Spock in.

"Captain. About last night." He promptly flushed, his cheeks filled with a touch of pale green. "I think that, given our positions on the ship, it would be wise to not involve ourselves in any sort of—of attraction which could suggest a lack of decorum."

Kirk approached him. "Spock," he reminded him gently, "until yesterday, you were in a relationship with Lieutenant Uhura. You were the Captain and she was a lieutenant. Why is that any different?"

For once, Spock had nothing to say.

"You're afraid of this," Kirk told him. "You're afraid and so you're just going to deny it all."

More silence.

Tentatively, Kirk reached out and tilted his chin up so that Spock would look at him. "You're right, you know. It's completely illogical. But I don't give a damn." A pause. "You know, last night—" he sighed. "Well, last night was a lot of things. Unexpected, for one."

Spock allowed himself a tiny smile.

"But other than that. I laid awake all night thinking about it. It was… beyond reason. Beyond self-control."

"Ecstasy," Spock filled in, his voice betraying the emotion filling his consciousness.

They stared at each other for a moment.

"I understand," said Kirk, "that you're going to have to take small steps."

"I go through _pon farr _just as pure Vulcans do," Spock said slowly, taking a step toward his Captain. "But I'm not like them. I get humanlike urges as well. Strong ones."

Kirk was now so close that he could hear Spock's decidedly Vulcan heart, the flutter of hundreds of beats per minute, like a cat's. _What a cruel joke, _he thought, as his fingers found the edge of the blue wool. _Years of chasing after hot girls, and the person who gives me what I need is a quiet _male_ Vulcan._

Without speaking, Spock took Kirk's hands in his. He lifted them into the air, gently opening his fingers, exposing his palms to the air. Deliberately, Spock closed his eyes and pressed the pads of his fingers to those of Kirk's.

Kirk, with eyes wide open, watched the flutter of Spock's closed eyelids as some sort of transcendental, luscious electricity flowed through their fingertips. Suddenly, he became painfully aware of his own heartbeat, pulsating so quickly he wildly imagined he was Vulcan himself.

Spock inclined his head, and Kirk understood that he was meant to meet him; their foreheads touched, and the contact felt more intimate than any touch he'd experienced in his life.

They stood this way for some time, Spock's breathing like a metronome, keeping time in the still room, until Kirk could stand it no longer.

"I can't be patient," he whispered, and Spock's eyes opened.

"Neither can I," he admitted, and pulled Kirk's sweater over his head.

"God," Kirk said breathlessly, freeing Spock of his clothes, "if anyone had told me I'd be doing _this—_with _you…_"

"Yes." Spock smiled. "I would have thought precisely the same thing."

Kirk ran his fingers over the smooth terrain of his counterpart's skin. They hadn't taken the time for exploration last night; they had been on the bridge, a place that was usually manned at all times—but, thanks to Spock's uncharacteristic emotional turmoil, it had been emptied at his sharp order. Both men still feared a chance encounter with a crew member, however, and were rather hasty and anxious in their coupling.

_Tonight, though,_ thought Kirk, as they fell onto the bed together, _tonight is going to be different._

With stiff fingers, Spock attempted to remove the last item of clothing still clinging to his Captain. As he stumbled, Kirk gently steadied his hands and helped him shed that thin barrier of fabric.

As they pressed together, Kirk noticed for the first time that the Vulcan was much, much warmer than he was; his skin felt like fire.

"You are cold," Spock noted.

Kirk's trademark smirk etched its way onto his face. "Not for long."

He eased slowly inside, watching Spock's face—it was at this moment he realized that the pair of chocolate-colored eyes staring up at him in ardent wonder were the most _human_ pair of eyes he'd ever seen.

Reminding himself to breathe, he began to move slowly, weaving a soothing _legato _rhythm into the motion of their bodies. Spock, overwhelmed by the new sensations coursing through his body, relaxed back into the comfort of the bed and allowed Kirk to take over completely.

With the composed determination of a starship captain, Kirk controlled his movements, barely paying attention to his own body, making Spock's pleasure his primary concern. His face kept twisting in the most glorious ways; when Kirk tilted just right, Spock would involuntarily bite down on his lower lip and groan softly, and Kirk thought it was a wonder he didn't explode from the noise alone.

"Oh, God." The syllables escaped from Spock's lips with a rush of air. "Jim…"

Caught off-guard by the effect of his name whispered in rapture, Kirk gave a start. "Spock, I'm—"

"I know," said Spock, his hand resting on Kirk's thigh. "Don't hold back."

"Spock—"

Dazed, Spock watched the intense pleasure painted on Kirk's face, the silenced screams given voice in his wide, sky-blue eyes.

Unable to stop himself, Spock put two warm hands on Kirk's reddened cheeks as he lay there, panting. Kirk knew he was watching his thoughts, but he didn't care. He wanted him to know.

After a moment, Spock smiled at his visions. "Next time," he promised, and Kirk grinned.


	4. Chapter 4

**quantuminferno:** You bet there is!

**NayNymic: **This is as immediate as I could be. :D

**Dulzura Letal: **Aww. Thank you!

**starsnstripies: **Haha! True. I really want Kirk to bring that human side of Spock to light. :)

**Mark:** Thanks for reading the story, reviewing, and only rolling your eyes at me once. :) (Mark, FYI all my other readers, is my awesome husband.)

A/N: Thanks again for your amazing response to this! I'd just like to quickly say that I really love comments—they're like a writer's lifeblood—so I appreciate anything you have for me. Good, bad, constructive criticism (I'm not a Trekkie/Trekker so I need to be corrected on technicalities!), anything. I just love hearing from my readers, and I promise I will always take the time to reply to each and every one of you. I always appreciate when a reader takes the time out to send me a line or two. Hope you like this installment—the next one is on its way!

xx

"Captain."

The voice at Kirk's door sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't be bothered with details. Memories of last night still swam in his head, beautiful as a tangle of seaweed, gently swaying in an ocean current.

"Captain!" This time, the voice was more urgent. It was Uhura.

He grunted. "What?"

"Your presence is required at the bridge."

Before he could reply, a blast shook the ship.

"Shit," he swore, swinging out of bed and pulling his pants on. Disheveled, he sprinted out the door and down to the bridge, sliding into the captain's chair as the _Enterprise_ took another hit.

"Romulans," Sulu said.

"We're out of photon torpedoes," Spock said calmly, at the same time Kirk swore, "Shit—no more photon torpedoes."

The corner of Spock's mouth twitched.

"Fire phasers," Kirk ordered, and the _Enterprise_ opened fire.

The Romulan bird-of-prey retaliated with a plasma torpedo, which Sulu barely dodged. "Captain," he began.

"It is unlikely," Spock's calm voice came, "for us to survive this attack, Captain. We should evacuate immediately."

Kirk didn't even have to consider. Placing the lives of everyone on the ship, including his own, into Spock's capable hands, proved the natural choice. "Spock's right."

Uhura turned in surprise. _What? No argument?_

"This is James Kirk," came the Captain's voice, ringing out through all corners of the ship. "The integrity of our ship has been compromised. I am ordering an emergency evacuation of the ship. You are to board escape pods and warp directly to Earth. Kirk out."

Sulu, McCoy, Scotty, Uhura, and Chekov immediately rose from their seats and headed for the door. Kirk made no move to leave; Spock stood, waiting.

"Captain?" he said quietly.

"I have to stay," Kirk replied. "Defend the pods." He let out a pained chuckle. "Seems I'm resigned to my father's fate."

Without another word, Spock returned to his post.

Kirk turned. "What are you doing?"

"Staying, Captain."

"Spock, you are to board an escape pod. That's an order."

Spock stared levelly at him. "With all due respect, Captain—I refuse."

Uhura was utterly mystified by this point. More out of curiosity than loyalty, she went back to her seat as well. "I'm not going either."

One by one, the senior officers marched back to their posts.

Kirk nodded. "Right then. Chekov, I want you to tell me when the escape pods have all launched and reached warp."

"Aye, Captain."

Kirk's fingers gripped the arms of his chair as another blast hit the ship. "Fire phasers again, Sulu."

With a nod, he fired at the Romulan ship, then put the _Enterprise_ into a sharp tilt as the Romulans returned fire.

"Engineering section has been hit," Scotty reported. "There's no way we're going to save this ship, Captain."

Kirk sighed. "Pike's going to kill me."

McCoy shook his head.

"The last pod has hit warp," Chekov said.

"Alright. To the escape pods. Warp immediately."

"Two in each pod," Spock suggested. "If we split up, our chances of survival increase."

Uhura felt her veins run cold. _So morbidly rational._

Sulu slid into a pod, and Chekov followed him. "Scotty, come with us," Sulu said. "There are seven of us."

McCoy climbed into the one beside it as Uhura watched Kirk and Spock enter their own.

"Uhura! C'mon!"

She tore her eyes from the other pod and climbed in after the doctor. As the door sealed, she stared over at the two men, engaged in frantic conversation. Kirk's hand rested on Spock's upper arm. A light turned on in her head—_No. No way. Oh, my God._

"Put your belt on!" McCoy stared at her as if she'd gone crazy. "Stay with me, here!"

She could barely process the doctor's command. Every cell of her brain tingled with the shock of what she'd just inferred. Fumbling with the belt, she buckled it just before the pod ejected into space and went to warp.


	5. Chapter 5

**Falconheart: **Thank you!

**Hikaru: **I like Uhura, too. She's an awesome character, and she really cared about Spock—they just weren't compatible (he had to have Kirk, after all!) Don't worry, I've got her taken care of. :)

**NayNymic: **Definitely not all! We've still got a few chapters to go.

**Fullmetal Embers: **Thanks!

**MissStud: **Neither am I, but I find myself knowing more and more about all these little details. I keep checking Memory Alpha to make sure I'm getting everything right.

**LawlietsDarkAngel: **I've seen it twice, too! :)

**neenabluegirl: **They do make great villains, don't they? I like the fact that they are related to the Vulcans, too.

**Page; Library Page:** haha! Hopefully this chapter leaves you more satisfied. :)

**quantuminferno: **Sometimes I have to give in to the cliffhanger temptation—they make such great spots to end chapters!

**Kate Andromeda: **Thank you!

**: **Haha! I updated as quickly as I could.

**Ai-Sarang:** This chapter ends more definitively. :)

**Jan7: **I really appreciate your wonderful critique. I'm all about getting details correct in every story, whether fanfiction or writing in the real world, so I'm glad you brought these things to my attention. Let me see if I can clarify some things, and if I'm still erring, let me know. I don't have a huge knowledge of the _Star Trek_ universe, so I appreciate this kind of help. When I scoured Memory Alpha for details on escape pods, I found this: "Escape pods, also known as rescue pods, of the _Odin_ were capable of traveling at warp 1 for extended periods." Now, when I went back to look, this info is apparently from _TNG, _so maybe the escape pods in Kirk and Spock's day didn't have warp. I actually wasn't aware of the shuttles until you mentioned them—good info for future stories, but as I've already established escape pods here, I'll just have to go with it for the sake of continuity. As for the battle with Nero—the Enterprise appeared near Titan, but while Spock was in the Jellyfish, he went into warp. The Narada and Enterprise both pursued. So I assumed that they were quite far from Saturn at that point. If they were still near Saturn, though, you're absolutely right, and I admit a plot hole. :) Does anyone know?

**sexy-jess: **When I went to see the movie the first time, I went with my parents and my husband, and my dad was flabbergasted at the Spock/Uhura relationship! haha. I have no intentions of making her a bad person, just getting her out of the way. ;)

**mia-piin: **I know! It kills me to do it, but it had to be done… otherwise I couldn't think of a way to make this work. :( I've got other little plot bunnies for K/S stories running around in my head, and I promise that in all of those, the Enterprise will be safe from destruction. :)

A/N: Thanks as always for the reviews, all of you! And thanks for reading!!

xx

Kirk stared longingly out the window at the _Enterprise_.

"It was the only logical move." Spock said, preparing for warp. "Captain Pike will not be angry with you. He will be thankful for the survival of several members of Starfleet and the elders of Vulcan."

Something told Kirk that this was Spock's way of expressing gratitude for providing cover fire as the Vulcan elders warped to safety.

"Hmm."

Kirk turned. "What?"

"It seems we have been captured."

"Oh, God damn it, they're pulling us in—shit—" Kirk watched the last pod warp out of sight.

"Do not let panic overwhelm you, Captain," Spock said calmly. "We have just escaped a similar situation. Perhaps we can manage a negotiation."

"I guess you really are an optimist."

xx

Several minutes later, Kirk found himself alone in a room facing the Romulan captain. He had a sharp, defined brow ridge, and his eyes were an unsettling shade of green.

"So you are the Captain of the _Enterprise._"

"Yeah."

"We received word that your ship destroyed a Romulan vessel."

Kirk squared his shoulders. "We did."

"What ship was this?"

"The _Narada._"

The captain cleared his throat. "I am not familiar with this ship."

"No, you wouldn't be. It was built in the 24th century."

Kirk proceeded to explain their fantastic story, crossing his fingers that the captain had an open mind.

He didn't.

"As far as I can tell, Captain Kirk, you've chosen to launch an unprovoked attack on a Romulan ship and then mock me when I ask you why. Hardly the behavior expected of a Starfleet captain." Rising from his chair, he nodded to the two guards. "Make him talk."

xx

After being tortured and beaten, two thick-necked Romulans dragged Kirk back to the cell and deposited him unceremoniously on the cold ground. Coughing, he dragged himself to his knees, cussed at the guards, and turned to Spock.

"What'd they—oh, God." He felt a hot streak of rage fuel up inside.

Spock held a square of cloth, torn from his Starfleet uniform, to his bloody nose. His face, covered in green-colored bruises, showed none of the calm reserve Kirk was used to. Blood dripped from his cut lip.

"Spock—"

"I fear," he said, "they find joy in this."

"Well I wonder if they'll find any goddamn joy in having my boot in their face, the sons of bitches." His hand curled into a fist.

"Jim." Spock's voice was quiet, restrained. "I have sustained severe internal injuries."

The next string of cuss words caught in his throat and he stared at Spock. "What?"

"Please sit with me."

Wordlessly, he perched on the cot next to the Vulcan. Two urges battled within him: the urge to break out of the cell and kill as many Romulans as he could get his hands on, and the urge to be as close to Spock as possible.

"If you would permit me," Spock began slowly, "I would—" His body suddenly seized with pain, and Kirk was unable to stop himself from putting an arm around the man and offering a hand to squeeze. _I am going to kill every motherfucker on this ship,_ he thought, as Spock relaxed.

"I would like to give you my _katra,"_ Spock finished.

He stared at him in shock. Of all the things someone could have accused James T. Kirk of being, sentimental was not one of them. But those eight words brought tears to his eyes. "Spock," he whispered, not knowing what to say.

"You," Spock said, with increasing difficulty, "are the only one in this universe I would trust with it."

Kirk took one of his hands. "You're being illogical," he said with a faint smile. "The only reason you'd transfer your _katra_ is if you were dying."

Spock said nothing, only stared at his feet.

"No," Kirk spat. He took him by the shoulders. "As your Captain, I order you—"

"Not to die?" Spock's mouth twitched. "You can't control everything, Jim."

Which was undeniably true. Kirk felt the floor being yanked out from under him, the threads of control being pulled from his fingers. He'd lost his ship; he wasn't going to lose Spock. Finally, he made a decision.

"You can transfer your _katra_ to me only if you are about to take your last breaths," Kirk told him, depression building up in the pit of his stomach at the thought. "We're going to get the hell out of here."

"Will you allow me to mind meld?"

"Of course."

"Lie down. Wait—help me to lie down first."

Kirk helped to ease him into a comfortable position, then settled in to face him. In an uncharacteristic gesture of affection, Spock set one hand on Kirk's waist, then arranged the fingertips of his other hand on his face, and closed his eyes.

It was like a flood. That's how Kirk would have described it, because there were no human words to articulate what happened in those few short minutes.

_Confusion._ Spock watched Kirk beat the Kobayashi Maru.

_Frustration and admiration. _Spock learned that Kirk had cheated. The system should have been impenetrable. But, no doubt, the solution Kirk had chosen was clever, albeit wrongful.

_Gratitude._ Kirk flouted authority and sprinted to the bridge to save the ship and crew from an ambush.

_Unease._ The realization, in his heart, that he did not mind James Kirk. In fact, he rather liked him at times—especially those blue eyes, which seemed to pierce him to his core every time they spoke. And his voice, which was like liquor for his ears. An addiction. The realization that Nyota did not have this effect on him.

_Grief. _The loss of his mother, the only family member who encouraged the expression of his deeply hidden emotions. His mother, his planet, gone…

_Wrath. _Marooning Kirk on Delta Vega. _Freeze to death, for all I care_…

_Hate._ The primal hunger to extinguish Kirk's life after accusing him of not caring for his planet or his mother. Of course he cared, of course he wanted to blow that god damn Nero and his whole crew to pieces—

_Dejection._ —but he was Vulcan.

_Regret. _Despite everything, Kirk still saved his life on the _Narada. _Somehow, he knew there was a reason for what he had said—he provoked him for a reason. Sooner or later he would find out. They would both apologize to each other.

_Anger. _Losing control. Wishing Kirk would not have even thought of saving Nero.

_Indecision. _Staying with Nyota was the logical choice. Wasn't it? His father had _loved_ his mother—did he love Nyota that way? James Kirk entered the room and said something about the ride home being slow. His eyes glowed like a warp core.

_Decision. _No. No, he didn't.

_Reprieve._ Finally, he felt a little free. He refused to hesitate. He watched Kirk's face in the soft glow of the lights, his eyebrows arched in surprise and pleasure. Neither the bridge, nor he, would ever be the same.

_Love. _It was illogical. It was logical. It was true. He _loved_ the captain. The corners of his mouth curved upward, and he laughed out loud in the middle of his quarters. He was Kirk's first officer now, whether it was official or not, because he was going to stick with him. No matter what.

Kirk felt a shock as Spock took his fingers away. He now believed. Vulcan emotions really _were_ much more powerful than human ones. As he tried to sort out everything he'd just experienced, Spock watched him with those dark brown eyes.

"No one has ever seen you smile like that, have they?" was all Kirk could say.

"I had never smiled like that before," came Spock's measured reply. "Also, I have never done this." He moved forward, hand still on Kirk's waist, and pressed his lips to his.

If he couldn't taste the coppery blood on Spock's lips, Kirk never would have believed it was happening. But the metallic taste lingered on his tongue, and the heat from the Vulcan skin radiated across his own cool human flesh.

"You _love_ me," Kirk said, somewhat breathlessly, after Spock let go.

"Yes."

Something in the warm tenor of the Vulcan's voice told Kirk that it was the truest thing he'd ever said. He was speechless. Completely speechless. If it was a liberating change for Spock to show signs of emotion, Kirk was in a life-changing moment of his own.

"And you?"

Kirk stared back at Spock, and suddenly everything cleared. There was only one possible answer to this question.

"Of course."


	6. Chapter 6

**accidental anomaly:** Thank you! It's great to hear that I've achieved what I set out to do—let Spock have his emotional side, yet still be Vulcan.

**Concubine99: **Me too… I never know where my Muse will take me!

**re-harakhti: **Thanks! The universe isn't perfect—characters have to go through hardships to develop, I've always believed that. I'm glad you like it.

**ladymage21: **Oh, I love him too! There's no way that was going to happen! :)

**Desdemona: **Thanks :)

**Mars-Eclipse: **Thanks so much! I'm glad I'm doing him justice!

**NayNymic: **I appreciate the movie insight. I've only seen it twice, so I'm glad you know the details!

**Ella Agathon: **Haha! If I did that, I deserve assassination.

**Lina-Baggins: **Aww, thanks! Any details you can correct me on? I was so worried about that chapter (and this one).

**Brieze: **I love the mind meld. LOVE it.

**Ai-Sarang: **I don't think you have to worry! :)

**LostSchizophrenic: **Your suggestion would make for a very good chapter 8.

**Alex Remington: **The katra is the essence of the Vulcan mind. Basically, a Vulcan can transfer his or her personality into another person when death is upon them.

**Ptrst: **Thank you! I didn't know if that would work or not. It kind of felt like a long list. I'm glad it worked for you.

**sexy-jess: **Damn them indeed! Thanks for following the story! :)

xx

The next morning, Kirk woke to an arresting sight. Spock lay on the cot, perfectly still, pale as Earth's moon. He wasn't breathing.

"Spock," he said, shocked into action. "Spock!" He took him by the shoulder and shook him. "Wake up. C'mon…"

No response.

Fury and desperation rose in the form of hot tears. "Spock, goddamnit, wake up!"

Just as he bent to administer CPR, Spock's eyes opened.

"What in the hell was that?" Kirk choked out.

"Vulcans are able to utilize our conscious control of brain functionality to concentrate all of our energy onto repairing injuries," he explained calmly. "I remained awake after you fell asleep last night with the hope that I might be able to heal the damage to my body."

"And?"

"I would estimate that the performance of my internal organs has improved approximately ninety-one percent."

Kirk grinned. _Same old Spock._ "Look, I assume they'll be coming to get us soon enough. And I don't want another round of torture. I want you to keep your _katra._ Between the two of us, we ought to be able to figure something out. He paused. "And it had better end with us blowing this ship to pieces."

"That outcome is highly unlikely, Captain, as our escape pod is not outfitted with enough weaponry to incapacitate a Romulan bird-of-prey." He thought for a moment. "However, there is one option."

"What?"

"We could sabotage the cooling system and overload the warp core."

Kirk considered this. "You sure you can do it?"

"I am quite certain that given my familiarity with Romulan language and—"

"Alright, I got it." Kirk smiled. "Let's do it."

xx

Two Romulan guards approached the cell. Spock remained on the cot while Kirk stood up to greet them.

"It's funny," Kirk said, as they unlocked the door, "how they only send two guards."

The tallest Romulan looked at him.

"Well, I think we deserve a little more respect, don't you? I mean, what if we decided to make trouble? You really think two of you could handle us?"

"Shut up." He grabbed Kirk and ushered him out of the cell.

The second Romulan glared at Spock. "Get up, Vulcan."

Spock lifted his eyes. "No."

The Romulan marched into the cell. In one swift move, Spock was on his feet; he dropped his captor with a quick nerve pinch.

Before the Romulan holding Kirk had time to process what had happened, Kirk had elbowed him hard in the stomach and Spock had incapacitated him.

"You're scary sometimes," Kirk told him, grabbing the Romulan's phaser.

Spock allowed himself a small smile.

"C'mon. Let's go."

xx

"There they are!"

"Shit!" Kirk yelled; they took cover behind a large pipe. "And we were so close."

Spock poked his head above the pipe, fired two shots, and ducked back down. "There are nine of them, all armed with phaser pistols."

"I got 'em."

Spock stared. "Are you certain you can—"

"I'm sure, just go!"

Kirk provided cover fire as Spock ran back to the warp core. He took out two Romulans with well-aimed shots and ducked again as they shot back. Knowing the element of surprise would work to his advantage, he kept low and crept about five paces to the right, then jumped up, shooting three more Romulans who were advancing on him and Spock.

_Five down, four to go._

Two shots whizzed past his head, breaking open the pipe behind him. Coolant flooded the ground. A warning siren began to blare.

Kirk jumped up and fired again, barely grazing the tough-looking Romulan barreling towards him. The next thing he knew, he'd been tackled to the ground. Kirk delivered a sharp uppercut to the Romulan's face and leaned around to shoot down another one.

"Spock!" Kirk hollered. "Watch out!"

But the siren was too loud for him to hear.

Phaser still in hand, Kirk tried with all his might to point it at the Romulan still above him as he suffered several harsh punches to the stomach. As he saw the other two running toward Spock, he mustered every ounce of strength he had and jabbed the weapon into his side.

"Asshole," Kirk spat as he fired.

Spock, concentrating on the computer terminal in front of him, didn't notice the two Romulans running in his direction.

"Spock!" Kirk shot and missed, running after them. "Spock!" He splashed through the coolant, firing at will; one shot finally clipped flesh. _One left._

"Vulcan," spat the Romulan, raising his phaser. Spock glanced up. And just as he was about to fire, Kirk shot him straight through the back, and he fell flat on his face into the rising tide of blue liquid.

"The coolant leak will speed up the overload process," Spock said. "We must evacuate promptly."

xx

By the time they reached their escape pod in the airlock, the explosions had already begun. Spock slid into the pod and started the launch sequence while Kirk blasted away at the few Romulans who had followed them.

"Let's go!" he cried, jumping in.

Fire consumed the entrance as the craft launched into space. Right before Kirk initiated warp, he got the satisfaction of seeing the bird-of-prey explode.

_I said I'd kill every last one of you, _Kirk thought angrily. _And when it comes to my first officer, I _keep_ my promises._


	7. Chapter 7

**ladymage21:** You're welcome!

**WiccanVampire16: **hehe. Two chapters more.

**andaere: **Thank you so much! I'm glad this works for you. It's really nice to hear.

**ArwendeImladris:** I love protective!Kirk. (And I love your username!)

**FlitShadowflame:** No, I don't think they'll like it at all!

**accidental anomaly: **hehe. I love him too. He has to be one of my favorite characters of all time. And SO much fun to write!

**anonymous: **Cringe time for me! I really didn't mean for it to come off that way. Uhura wanted to stay out of curiosity, and possibly out of care for Spock (as they didn't have an unfriendly breakup). The rest of the crew was just following orders, and when they saw the by-the-book Spock disobeying, they thought they might as well too.

**Ella Agathon: **Thanks, it makes me smile too.

**DaughterofDeath: **Done!

**starsnstripies: **aww, thanks!

**Cleopatra's Snake: **Thank you! I love hearing what parts of the story everyone likes/dislikes.

**Mars-Eclipse: **I would have never forgiven _myself!_ Thanks for your always-wonderful reviews!

**DeAtHsTeNsHi:** Thank you! I keep hearing wonderful comments about how IC Spock is and I'm really relieved that he's coming off that way. I know what you mean, too—after I saw the movie, the first thing I felt like doing was starting this! haha

**NayNymic: **Haha! The crew might not find out until the sequel… if I do one…

**Ai-Sarang: **Indeed! :D

**LostSchizophrenic: **Yeah, the Federation isn't going to be so thrilled… but I think saving Earth will balance it out. ;) Kirk's always getting himself into trouble!

**sexy-jess: **hehe! She'll definitely come up in the end. I'm glad you're liking the story!

**Vindictive Vixen: **How could I ever kill Spock? Too much love for that Vulcan! :)

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_A/N: Soundtrack for this chapter: _

_--"When the World Ends" (Oakenfold Remix)—Dave Matthews Band_

_--"The End is the Beginning is the End"—Smashing Pumpkins_

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The escape pod appeared outside of Neptune.

"It appears we've missed our target," Spock announced, gazing out the window at the blue orb.

"Nah. We haven't." Kirk turned to face him.

Spock watched his Captain curiously.

"Spock—we're not going to have the chance at Starfleet, or on a ship—"

"I fail to understand your logic. We have already engaged in two—_encounters_— aboard the _Enterprise."_

Kirk couldn't help but smile at his reluctant euphemism. "I know. But I know we've both been holding back." Eyes glowing, he reached over to put a hand on Spock's shoulder. "I want you to let go."

"I must warn you," Spock said slowly, "Vulcan emotions are much stronger and more powerful than human ones, and quite volatile while released."

"So we'll stay away from the controls."

"Jim." His eyes, which spoke volumes, pleaded gently with Kirk.

"Spock," he promised, "I can take it. And even if I can't, it's worth it." His hand hadn't moved, and he squeezed Spock's shoulder. "Let go."

Spock closed his eyes, attempting to break the final bars of the cage which had held his emotions for so long. Kirk leaned over, gently running his fingers through the fine black hair.

That did it.

He turned and gripped the Captain's face in both hands, his quiet brown eyes focused intently on Kirk's aquamarine ones. "I apologize in advance if I injure you."

Before Kirk got the chance to tell him he didn't care about bruises, Spock had pressed his warm lips to his, his fast hands tearing the battered Starfleet uniform from his torso.

An anticipation unlike any other he'd felt coursed through Kirk's veins and rushed over his skin, cold in comparison to the Vulcan's scorching touch. Overwhelmed by Spock's need, his love, the skill of his hot fingers, Kirk's suppressed fantasies were finally coming true—_if this pod had enough life support, I'd stay here for years,_ he thought, as Spock flung his last remaining article of clothing aside.

Like a cat, Spock pounced. Kirk found himself pinned to the floor, the Vulcan's hands running up and down his sides, teeth grazing his shoulder. He shivered with satisfaction. "Spock…" The name ghosted past his lips so naturally that he barely knew he said it.

When Spock surfaced, his eyes were on fire. Almost dangerous.

"I'm jealous," Kirk panted. "God, look at you. I wish I could feel as intensely—"

Spock's lips twitched. "And you are addressing that sentiment to a Vulcan."

"What an effect I've had on you, huh?"

"Allow me to mind meld."

"Sure."

Kirk's eyes flew open in surprise as Spock's fingers met his face. It was like an injection of testosterone and adrenaline. Last time, he'd felt an abundance of Spock's well-hidden emotions. This time, one overpowered the rest—raw, uninhibited, and unbelievably strong.

_Lust._

When Spock finally took his fingers away, Kirk flipped him on his back. "So this is what you've been hiding from me," he growled. "This is what you've been holding back. You shouldn't have. I like this side of you."

"My current level of arousal is low compared to my level at _pon farr,"_ he purred, watching Kirk's face for a reaction.

The Captain's knees went weak and Spock regained his position on top. He bent again, letting his lips explore Kirk's skin, relishing each one of his captain's sighs.

"I can't take it anymore," Kirk finally said in surrender, his hands on Spock's waist.

"Very well." He lifted Kirk's legs into the air and held him tightly. "Humans are not a very patient race, are they?"

"I'm definitely not," Kirk said, bracing himself. _How could I be?_

And then Spock was inside and Kirk felt the ecstasy of being fully connected, of giving up control for once and letting his Vulcan lover—_yes, lover_, thought Kirk blissfully—have the reins. But Spock was still holding back; he could feel the tension, the reluctance.

"C'mon," he teased, looking up at Spock. "There's no Bones to come running and ask us if we've gone out of our minds. No Vulcan elders telling you to think with your logic." He ran a hand over his bare chest. "It's just us, Spock. _Let go_._"_

"You will be the ruin of me yet, Jim," Spock said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

And he let go.

As Spock crashed into him, Kirk felt like he'd had his stomach punched in—the wind knocked out of him—maybe his lungs were collapsing? No, this felt _amazing,_ amazing beyond words; the sensations coursing through his body, awakening every atom and cell, stunned him into silence, into breathlessness.

_And God, those eyes—_briefly, Kirk wondered what was happening to him, how a stoic Vulcan with a surprising temperamental side had transformed into the person he trusted most, the lover whose wounds he'd avenged by blowing up a starship.

Eventually, words came—at first, a slur of unintelligible syllables, something about breaking through the ship's floor into space, followed by a sentiment about it being a good way to go.

_He was going to give me his _katra.

"Spock," he choked out, meaning to stop him—his nether regions would surely carry dark bruises for weeks after this—but, he found, he just didn't care. This was too good to bother with consequences.

And Spock's face. He was certain that no Vulcan's face had been so expressive before, not even during _pon farr. _His graceful features were painted with rapture, with determination, with love and lust and liberation, the mask of aloofness melting into the air, revealing the true nature of Spock. Nothing had affected Kirk more in his life than seeing the Vulcan come to life before his eyes, seeing him embrace the humanity inside, watching him dig up the entrenched Vulcan emotions.

_Beautiful._ There was no other word.

Then, quite suddenly, Spock's face went out of focus, and Kirk's eyes flew shut. He grabbed wildly for Spock, hands wrapping around his upper arms, fingernails embedding in the hot skin—

"Spock… oh, God…"

His body shook violently beneath Spock's; once it was over, he forced his eyes open in order to watch the Vulcan's face. He'd seen him once in the low light of the bridge, and once in the darkness of his quarters, but this time the lights were high and Kirk could see every last change in expression.

"Jim—I'm—"

Kirk felt like an earthquake had let loose inside of him, and he watched the final transformation of Spock's face, a carved masterpiece of exhilaration, eyes shut tight, mouth open wide, yelling Kirk's name louder and louder to the vacuum of space.

Exhausted, Spock collapsed onto the floor beside Kirk, and laid his head on his Captain's shoulder.

Kirk put one arm around him and stared out the window. _Neptune,_ he thought, _you have just become my favorite planet._

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_**One chapter to go… I'm thinking of doing a sequel. What do you think?**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Celestia: **Thank you!

**my renji-kun: **That's always good to hear!

**andaere: **That's a great compliment for a writer… thank you so much!

**Tubular Fox: **I'm going for it!

**bineshiikwe: **Thanks for the heads-up, again :)

**SomebodyxNobody: **hehe. I just saw it again, too (honestly, there's really nothing better to go see. Maybe _Wolverine_, but only because of Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds. lol) And I was thinking the same thing throughout! :) Logical, indeed… I'm in the process! Thank you for the compliment!

**lovefan81: **Oh, I'd love that. There would be Spork goodness all over the place. And we'd get to SEE it. Mmm.

**KatKola: **haha… I'm assuming that's good?

**DeAtHsTeNsHi:** I'd love to hear the ideas!

**Mark: **Given me good ideas. That's what you've done. ;)

**Mars-Eclipse: **I'm holding you to that promise! Haha, kidding. Thank you though, I'm honored by that compliment!

**Cleopatra's Snake: **Foreshadow alert: you haven't seen _anything_ yet. ;) And yes. Cheers for Neptune. :D

**Fullmetal Embers: **Demand is met!

**mediwitch3: **Thanks for the heads-up! As I told bineshiikwe, it was rated T because it was a oneshot at first without graphic content. I totally forgot to switch up the rating until your two reviews—I appreciate the fact that you both reminded me. :)

**re-harakhti:** haha, true story! And thank you!

**Aisling-Siobhan: **Thanks! Will do!

**accidental anomaly: **ahaha… nah, you're just an avid reader. :) Yes… I feel a responsibility to get these chapters out to you guys… plus once I get involved in a story I like to stay in the zone to keep continuity. I'm working on chapter 1 already… thanks for your comments!

**WiccanVampire16: **thanks! Sequel is underway!

**sexy-jess: **aww thanks so much! You always have such good things to say :)

**iris-tigress: **thank you again! I tried, but fanfiction net doesn't allow me to post websites that aren't linked directly to their servers. :(

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"Jesus." McCoy shook his head, clapping Kirk on the back. "We thought you were dead for sure."

Kirk laughed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Bones."

"The odds of survival _were_ low," Spock chimed in.

"Spock almost bit the dust," Kirk said, trying his best to remain flippant.

The corners of Spock's mouth raised slightly. "Jim _ordered_ me not to die."

"Worked, didn't it?" Kirk grinned.

_Jim? _Uhura couldn't take it anymore. "So," she began, "Starfleet received word about twelve hours ago that the bird-of-prey was destroyed." She turned to Spock. "The _logical_ thing to do would be to come home right away. Exactly what was the delay?"

Spock stared her down. "Given our differences in the past, the Captain and I thought it would be prudent to learn more about each other in an isolated environment."

She did not look convinced.

"We understand each other much better now," Kirk supplied. "Hopefully we won't be attacking each other on the bridge anymore. In anger."

Spock, for the first time in his life, had to hide a smile.

xx

With the announcement of Captain Pike's promotion to Admiral, and the declaration that Kirk would soon be named Captain of the next _Enterprise,_ Spock found his head spinning. He, of course, felt a responsibility to the Vulcan race. But at the same time, the thought of giving up his position in Starfleet—and his place on a ship with Kirk—saddened him deeply. So, on the morning of Kirk's promotion ceremony, he sought the advice of someone he always knew he could trust. He spotted his father walking toward a shuttle.

"Father?"

The man turned around. "I am not our father."

Spock shot him a quizzical glance.  
"There are so few Vulcans left," he said, "we can not afford to ignore each other."

"Then why did you send Kirk aboard when you alone could have explained the truth?"

A gentle smile crossed the weather-beaten face of the older Spock. "Because you _needed_ each other," he said meaningfully. "I could not deprive you of the revelation of all that you could accomplish together. Of a friendship that will define you both… in ways you can not yet realize."

_Perhaps I already _have_ realized,_ thought Spock with an inward smile. "How did you persuade him to keep your secret?"

"He inferred that universe-ending paradoxes would ensue should he break his promise."

"You lied?"

"Ohh. I—I _implied."_

"A gamble?"

"An act of faith," the older Spock said. "One I hope that you'll repeat in the future in Starfleet."

Spock heaved a sigh. "In the face of extinction," he said reluctantly, "it is only logical I resign my Starfleet commission and help rebuild our race."

But he saw in his older, wiser eyes a different opinion. "I urge you to remain in Starfleet. I've already located a suitable planet on which to establish a Vulcan colony." He searched the young Spock's eyes. "Spock," the old man advised, "in this case, do yourself a favor. Put aside logic. Do what feels right."

As Kirk arrived, Spock smiled. "I am learning the merits of emotion."

"Then," the elder Vulcan said wistfully, his smile bittersweet, "you are much wiser than I was."

"Rift in the universe, my ass," Kirk said.

This earned a smile from the old man. "As I was just saying, I merely implied."

"You cheated."

"A trick I learned from an old friend."

Kirk grinned.

"Since my customary farewell would appear oddly self-serving," he said to Spock, "I shall simply say good luck." He raised his hand in the traditional Vulcan farewell, then turned to Kirk. "And to you, Captain—live long and prosper."

Kirk nodded at him as he turned away.

After he vanished from sight, Kirk and Spock remained, talking quietly.

"I must assist in the establishment of the colony," Spock told him. "It will take some time to build the new _Enterprise._ It is my duty to my people."

Kirk felt a pang of betrayal. "You mean—"

"I will only be assisting in the organizational details and manual labor," Spock assured him. He knew it would be logical to reproduce, to help the Vulcan population grow, but the thought of lying beside anyone but James Kirk repulsed him. And he wasn't about to ignore the advice of his older self. _Do what feels right. _This felt more right than anything he'd ever felt in his life.

"Oh. Alright, then."

Spock smiled, a genuine smile. "I find your possessive nature endearing, Jim."

Kirk returned the smile. "So what about when we come back to the ship?"

"Lieutenant Uhura expressed concern about gossip," Spock said. "I'm quite sure that if news of _our_ relationship were to reach the ears of the crew—"

Kirk laughed. "Yeah. No kidding. You're right, we'll keep it quiet. Maybe I'll make a note to the shipbuilders that they ought to outfit both our quarters with soundproofing."

"Perhaps. Then again," he purred, "that might not be enough."

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**THANK YOU** so much (!) to everyone who has read, reviewed, liked, favorited (I know that's not a real word), criticized and followed this story! I love you all and I really appreciate the time you spent with this story (which I had a LOT of fun writing!!)

Feel free to suggest any ideas you have for the sequel, which is upcoming!

x

(I promise more on Uhura/crew/etc. in part 2. Don't worry, she's not the evil ex. :) I will update First Contact with a notification when the sequel is posted.)


	9. Chapter 9

**Sequel up!!**

**.net/s/5105593/1/**

**Under Wraps**

**The Enterprise-A is full of secrets. As they warp across space on a rescue mission, Kirk and Spock sneak around together, Uhura has her own secret, and Spock develops one more thing to hide. Who'll be discovered first? Sequel to First Contact. Spock/Kirk.**

**Star Trek: 2009 - Rated: M - English - Romance/Adventure - Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,489 - Published: 6-1-09 - J. Kirk & Spock**

**xx**

**Enjoy, my lovely readers! **

**x--Gisela**


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